Jon,
I’ve only been a mentor for about a week now, but thank you for the
positive feedback. It’s always good to hear that the things we do for
others is appreciated.
Hi All,
Great read, great info…
I would like to get some insight as to what life might be like on reserve for the 1st year with a regional airline?
I live in central Colorado and will be leaving my Boyfriend home with our 2 young boys. He refuses to move to wherever I may be based. I’ve wrapped my head around the fact that I will be commuting.
When on reserve and not flying how long are you on call for?
When not flying do the regionals provide a crash pad?
When called for a trip how much time do I have to get to the airport?
(Say I do get based in DEN or COS I’m assuming it would be impossible to be at home (2 2/1 hour drive to DEN and 1 1/2 hour drive to COS) and drive to the airport for my flight)
How can I maximize this reserve schedule so I can maximize my time home with the fam?
Can someone just walk me through a day in the life of a 1st year regional pilot.
I’m just trying to mentally prepare myself and my Boyfriend for my absence form the family.
Thanks for your advice and personal experience in advance.
Emily
Emily,
First off with the amount of movement at the Regionals you probably won’t be on Reserve more than a few months BUT of course you could be. Ok so keep in mind Reserve rules vary from airline to airline based on the FARs and pilot contracts but we’ll try and give you an idea.
-
Again varies but typically it’s 10-12hrs.
-
Nope.
-
Most airlines have long and short call Reserve. Long call gives you 12hrs, short 2-3hrs. Either of those commutes would be cutting it wayyyyy to close for my taste.
-
Like EVERYTHING in aviation the answer is when you gain seniority you gain more control over your schedule. As a new FO you’ll have min control over you schedule so there’s not much maximizing you can do. After a while you can bid your Reserve days off in long blocks so you’d have to commute less. Keep in mind you may find yourself with a line faster than you’ll be able to do that.
-
I’d take a look at Tory’s schedule. He IS a First year Regional FO.
Adam
Emily,
First year FO schedules vary, but typically it begins with 2 months of
training. Training consists of ground school, sim training and initial
operating experience (IOE). IOE is line flying with check airman. Once
training is complete (assuming you passed), you bid to fly the line. You
also submit a reserve bid in case you can’t hold a line.
Most new hires are not senior enough to hold a line. So, they mainly
scheduled as a reserve pilot. As of late, this lasts for about six months.
Take that with a grain of salt. I’m just giving you an average based on
what I’ve seen.
There are different forms of reserve. Adam summed it up well.
You will be responsible for providing your own housing accommodations.
Airlines only provide hotels when on duty and the last flight of the day
ends in any other city than your base.
Since your schedule is always reflective of your seniority within the
company, you won’t have much control over your schedule in the beginning.
You will have the opportunity to bid for what you want just like everyone
else, but you need to be flexible. New hires usually get what no one else
wants.
If you take a look at my schedule, you’ll notice that I’ve only done one
day of reserve. My schedule does not resemble that of a typical first year.
I was hired around the same time Horizon started training pilots to fly the
ERJ. They needed every pilot they had to keep up with their
operation…side note, it still wasn’t enough, but that’s a different topic.
Tory
Adam https://airlinepilot.life/u/adam
https://airlinepilot.life/u/adam Pilot Mentor
February 6Emily,
First off with the amount of movement at the Regionals you probably won’t
be on Reserve more than a few months BUT of course you could be. Ok so keep
in mind Reserve rules vary from airline to airline based on the FARs and
pilot contracts but we’ll try and give you an idea.
Again varies but typically it’s 10-12hrs.
2.Nope.
3.Most airlines have long and short call Reserve. Long call gives you
12hrs, short 2-3hrs. Either of those commutes would be cutting it wayyyyy
to close for my taste.
4.Like EVERYTHING in aviation the answer is when you gain seniority you
gain more control over your schedule. As a new FO you’ll have min control
over you schedule so there’s not much maximizing you can do. After a while
you can bid your Reserve days off in long blocks so you’d have to commute
less. Keep in mind you may find yourself with a line faster than you’ll be
able to do that.
5.I’d take a look at Tory’s schedule. He IS a First year Regional FO.
Adam
Visit Topic
https://airlinepilot.life/t/line-vs-reserve-differences-and-domicile-questions/1115/23
or reply to this email to respond.In Reply To
MLEB https://airlinepilot.life/u/mleb EMILY BEE
https://airlinepilot.life/u/mleb
February 6
Hi All, Great read, great info… I would like to get some insight as to
what life might be like on reserve for the 1st year with a regional
airline? I live in central Colorado and will be leaving my Boyfriend home
with our 2 young boys. He refuses to move to wherever I may be based. I’ve
wrapped …
Previous Replies
MLEB https://airlinepilot.life/u/mleb EMILY BEE
https://airlinepilot.life/u/mleb
February 6Hi All,
Great read, great info…
I would like to get some insight as to what life might be like on reserve
for the 1st year with a regional airline?I live in central Colorado and will be leaving my Boyfriend home with our
2 young boys. He refuses to move to wherever I may be based. I’ve wrapped
my head around the fact that I will be commuting.When on reserve and not flying how long are you on call for?
When not flying do the regionals provide a crash pad?
When called for a trip how much time do I have to get to the airport?
(Say I do get based in DEN or COS I’m assuming it would be impossible to
be at home (2 2/1 hour drive to DEN and 1 1/2 hour drive to COS) and drive
to the airport for my flight)How can I maximize this reserve schedule so I can maximize my time home
with the fam?Can someone just walk me through a day in the life of a 1st year regional
pilot.I’m just trying to mentally prepare myself and my Boyfriend for my absence
form the family.Thanks for your advice and personal experience in advance.
Emily
Tory https://airlinepilot.life/u/tory Pilot Mentor
July 5Jon,
I’ve only been a mentor for about a week now, but thank you for the
positive feedback. It’s always good to hear that the things we do for
others is appreciated.
jdavidbakr https://airlinepilot.life/u/jdavidbakr Jon Baker
https://airlinepilot.life/u/jdavidbakr
July 5Thank you Adam for being so transparent about your story. And thank you to
all the pilot mentors here, I love that this is a place that really paints
an unbiased picture of the pros and cons of the process of becoming a pilot
and the lifestyle of it. I almost pursued this career path about 20 years
ago and heard horror stories about the lifestyle and that it was nearly
impossible to become an airline pilot without coming from the military …
and even today you can go on Quora and see lots of pilots who hate their
job discouraging others from taking that career path. A big part of me
wishes that this forum existed back then (I guess it would have been an AOL
keyword or old school bulletin board) - it may have given me the info I
would have needed to pull the trigger when the sacrifice would have been
more appropriate for my stage of life.Thanks again, if I do nothing more than vicariously live a pilot life
through you guys I will be forever grateful for finding this forum.
Adam https://airlinepilot.life/u/adam
https://airlinepilot.life/u/adam Pilot Mentor
July 4Jon,
When I sold my business and decided to take the plunge my kids were 10,
12, and 14. Initially my wife thought I was “insane” and we split for a few
years (subsequently getting back together). I won’t lie, it was a HUGE
sacrifice and I missed a lot of holidays, baseball games, dances etc. But
here’s the thing. Before I started flying while I was financially
supporting my family that was the full extent of my support. I was a very
unhappy person and while I was “there” in body, I was not in spirit. While
I was physically present at the games and events I really wasn’t there at
all (which I personally feel was worse). Truth is my wife should’ve kicked
me out before my decision to fly because in reality I was a lousy husband
except for paying the bills.It’s many years later and I have a very good relationship with my entire
family. While I readily confess when I decided to become a pilot the
decision was completely selfish on my part (as it was something I felt I
needed to do for my own sanity), I know for a fact if I hadn’t my marriage
wouldn’t have survived much longer and I’m reasonably confident my
relationship with my children would have suffered as well. It was again a
HUGE sacrifice for all concerned but I believe it was worth it when all’s
said and done.Adam
jdavidbakr https://airlinepilot.life/u/jdavidbakr Jon Baker
https://airlinepilot.life/u/jdavidbakr
July 4Adam, did your marriage survive the transition? I’m 44 with 2 kids under 4
and make reasonably good money (it would take probably 7 years at a
regional to catch up to where I am now), and don’t know that I could ask my
family to sacrifice what it would take to make the career change (my wife
right now is a SAHM), but have always dreamt of flying for an airline. How
old were your kids at the time? I’d love to hear the story from your wife’s
perspective.
Visit Topic
https://airlinepilot.life/t/line-vs-reserve-differences-and-domicile-questions/1115/23
or reply to this email to respond.
You are receiving this because you enabled mailing list mode.
Adam & Troy
You guys are great! Thanks for all the info… So helpful! It all seems totally doable, not terribly complicated as long as I’m flexible.
What are your headset recommendations?
I’m a Bose A20 fan. Bose makes quality products and has good customer
service. DC Pro X is also popular. I don’t know much about them other than,
based on observation, it is the second most common headset. I always
suggest buying a good quality headset. Low budget headsets become
uncomfortable to wear during long flights.
Tory
Bose, Bose, Bose! Yes I know they’re expensive but they’re quiet, durable and STUPID comfy. The others are going to disagree but I’m telling you there are only 3 kinds of pilots. Those that bite the bullet early and get the Bose and live happily ever after. Those that spend $2-300 on a cheap set and eventually break down and get the Bose (after wasting the $2-300) and finally those who never get the Bose (because they don’t want to admit they should’ve) and live their lives with regret. Don’t live in regret. Get the Bose 
Adam
I forgot to mention, don’t buy Lightspeeds. They are fine for general
aviation flying, but they are not TSO approved. The FAA does not authorize
any non-TSO approved headsets to be used for part 121 operations.
Tory
Roger! Bose it is 
Wait, Chris has told you not to yet 
Adam
Is the Bose A20 only model that is TSO approved?
Have either of you heard any negative feedback about buying used off of ebay?
What’s your opinion used veres new?
I’m not sure which models are or aren’t TSO approved. The online
description of the headset should indicate.
I’ve heard of a few people buying used headsets. The risk in that is not
knowing what the headset has been through. You will also not receive the
customer service benefits. I would not overlook the benefits. Bose promises
to replace the headset and/or worn out parts within 5 years of purchase.
Tory
Yes, this is where I chime in and say that I think Bose are overpriced and not worth it. I am a fan of the David Clarks. I also do not like noise cancelling headsets as they mask the engine noise too much, which can lead to the pilot not being as in-tune with the engine as they would be otherwise. The FAA has actually raised concerns about this, you can read about them here: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-faa-studies-noise-cancelling-headphones-amid-safety-concerns-over-misheard-cockpit-alarms-and-211618/
Chris
Mmm…first of all that article is over 10 years old. And second, it only suggests that noises warnings and vibrations MIGHT not be detected while wearing a noise canceling headset. It doesn’t provide any evidence that using a noise canceling headset does prevent detection of environmental sounds and alarms.
You do bring up a valid point though. A TSO approval is simply a permission slip to manufacture, not install and/or use the product. That said, I found this article: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2015/november/25/faa-urges-pilots-to-test-headsets
The article was published in 2015 and urges pilots to test their noise canceling headsets during ground and in-flight ops before choosing to use them at all times. If detection of sounds and alarms is affected, then yes, find an alternative.
Tory
Trust me that engine stops spinning, Bose or no Bose you’ll hear the difference
Emily the A20 and the prior model X are both TSO’d (anything older might be but you’re talking prehistoric). It’s like anything else on eBay, buy from someone who’s got a good reputation and you should be fine. Also FYI, MyPilotStore sells refurbished/warrantied Model X’s for $4-500 (which is the model I have) but new the A20 is really nice. Again I appreciate $1,000 is expensive but if you do the math you’ll be wearing this headset daily for the next 2-2.5yrs training and instructing and they will serve you even better your 3-7 years as a Regional pilot. That’s $100 a year to be comfortable and make communications (which many new pilots find the biggest challenge) that much better. Not a bad deal.
Adam
Guys!
Thanks for all the great info! I have never liked DC headsets, they’ve just always pinched my head. I really like noise canceling and yes if I’m going to be wearing it day in and out for the next several years it must be comfortable. Adam and Troy you’ve sold me, Bose it is! Sorry Chris, I really do appreciate your opinion.
Thank you all,
Emily
Hi Chris and Adam,
I have a question about long call and short call reserve time. I am concerned about my commute and making it to work on time. I live in the SF bay area and without traffic, I am 1h 21 min from OAK and 1h 13 min from SFO. Throw traffic in the mix and those commutes can easily exceed 2 hrs, but probably not 2.5h. When working for a regional, how is long call and short call reserve schedules determined? If I had 3 hrs, I would see this as totally doable from home, though I would always need to be showered and packed and ready to throw on the uniform and jam. However, with 2 hrs notice, I feel like I would have to drive over to the airport vicinity with my uniform hanging in my car and sit at a cafe all day. While doable, this isn’t desirable to do every day in the month while on reserve (or months). Do the airlines make any exceptions as to their ability to give pilots slightly more notice? It sounds like being on short call reserve, unless your living under the approach, you have to be glued to your phone and can’t be out running errands or walking the dog in case you get the call. Is this an accurate reality of reserve scheduling and getting to work on time, especially in busy metropolitan regions?
Nick,
It depends on the airline. Long call reserve is traditional 12hrs prior (or more). Short call however is typically 2hrs or 3hrs depending again on the airline (each is different, at Hawaiian we actually have both 2 and 3 depending on the coverage). I have to tell you should be concerned about your commute if it could easily exceed 2hrs. While obviously 2hr call out wouldn’t work, 3 would be cutting it really close.
As far as exceptions I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking? The contract language is written to govern ALL pilots. If it’s 3hr call out that means you have 3hrs. Not 3:15, not 3:30, not 3:02? Where you live is your choice and if you chose to live a greater distance from the airport that’s fine but getting to work on time is your responsibility. Pilots have been on short call reserve as long as they have been pilots. Yes it can be less than fun. Some live close, some get crashpads but we all make it work. I’m not trying to be harsh but if you’re looking for exceptions you’re looking at the wrong career.
Adam
Thanks Adam. This clarifies it a little more for me. I’ll make it work with a crash pad or hanging out in the area at a cafe and studying if that’s what’s needed. I don’t need an exception, I just didn’t know how it works as far as when the info becomes available to the airline as to whether they will need to tap into reserves or not. If that info becomes available to the airline before 2-3 hours before push back, it would be beneficial to everyone if they can relay it to the pilots sooner rather than later. I guess that was my question. Maybe its more black and white than that, I just didnt know. While I do know airlines are all about keeping schedules, its not uncommon for other industries to work with employees to accommodate their commuting situations, such as getting in early and leaving early or staying late, working a Saturday, etc.
Living situations in the bay area are difficult, availability wise and financially speaking - further complicating the situation. Lastly, as a passenger flying domestic and international over the course of my life, I have had plenty of gate agents tell me “we’re waiting for the pilots.” I never questioned if those men and women were in the wrong career, I just sat back down and thought - “hey, the pilots are on there way, this doesn’t happen every time but sometimes it happens.” In my career, punctuality has always been important. I’m just looking for information to make my new planned career feasible.
Also, that brings another question to mind. I’ve always wondered where pilots are officially “at work”. I assume there is a briefing room for each airline, somewhere in the airport? Does stepping foot in that room to get weather and route briefing constitute being “at work”…or is it being in the aircraft? Do pilots have special parking at their domicile?